Friday, July 24, 2009

Try To Stay Positive.........

I woke up to bright sunshine and a beautiful morning. A good night's sleep had worked it's wonders. I cleaned house and did laundry all day yesterday and I stretched lazily on the smooth clean sheets. I got up and took the dogs out while the coffee brewed and I was checking my e-mail and coming to life when I heard the buzzer to the store. I hit mute on the Today Show and continued reading, only slightly annoyed.

What if somebody has a real problem, maybe I should have grabbed a robe and gone to the door. There is a sign stating store hours, but all the what if's have now invaded my brain. With great reluctance I drag myself to the bedroom to slip on my mowing clothes. I awaken love of my life so that he can go get the bobcat and get started on his day. Off to the pool to retrieve the trusty robot and clean the filter. I get the pool ready for occupancy and head to the bathrooms..........

I hate bathrooms. I cleaned and stocked them last night before bed. The ladies room isn't half bad, but the men's is just gross. The toilet tissue is gone and someone decided to enlist the paper towels for purposes of necessity. I suppose I should be grateful that they didn't flush it and that most of it ended up in the trash can. I am having to dig really dip to find that gratitude, though. Now I can only wonder what could have happened to cause 3 rolls of tissue to be used over night. The ladies room has all the tissue I stocked last night. I always expect the ladies room to be low, but 3 rolls gone in the men's? Perhaps I should check the trees........... no TP there. I guess someone took it to put in their camper. Always glad to be of service, after all.

The thrum of the mower is soothing. I like the feel of the vibrations that go through my hands as I mow. I have prepped all my trees so that the riding mower won't hit my branches and I am enjoying the solitude and monotony of mowing stripe after stripe. I imagine a piece of cloth being cut into bias strips to make a binding of some sort. I like the feeling of accomplishment as I look at the already mowed section, still green and glistening with residues of the morning dew.......... All of a sudden a voice interrupts my peace, "The dryer is hung up!" she shouts over the mower. I release the handle and let the engine stop. "It weren't me, but somebody else, I just come to tell you." As I squelch the desire to ask "who it were", I see Play Misty For Me come around the building to tell me she had taken care of the problem and needed no assistance.

Still pondering what she could have meant by saying the dryer was "hung up" I attempt to start the mower and return to peaceful oblivion when Mr. Wonderful comes toward me to inquire about paying for a shower.......... I tell him to put his $3 in the drop box and turn my back and quickly yank the cord and fire up the engine. I finish my side yard and go in to grab a quick shower and get the day started.

The dryer "hang up" was the coin slot mechanism was stuck and with a good thrust was forced into use. I was happy to hear that, because the dryer had just been fixed the day before....some wire on the heating element. Love of my life tried to share this information with me and all I heard was yadayadayada. Just glad there was nothing wrong that required ordering a part and waiting for the arrival before we could remedy the situation.

Now, I must explain the shower and Mr. Wonderful. This man camped her at one point in time, shortly after we bought the park. He had one of those campers that fit into the bed of a pick-up truck and it was far from new. He has a black, going gray pony tail and his teeth tell a story of long time meth abuse (aka meth mouth). I gave him the name Mr. Wonderful because he would tell me on a daily basis what a great carpenter, electrician and plumber he was. He was also a heavy drinker if his breath was any indication. I opined that if he were so wonderful, why, then was he living in the back of a pick-up truck that had also seen better days.

He stayed here a couple of months, then moved on to where he said he had found cheaper rent. The cheap rent must not include bathroom privileges, cause about 3 times a week he pays $3 to shower here. Mr Wonderful, indeed. He attempts to flirt with me when he comes in. I find this to be amusing as well as slightly nauseating.

Yesterday was eventful as well. The lady who shall be forever known as the apple thief approached me to see if she had any mail. I replied in the negative and she then wanted to know how she would know if she had mail. Hmmmmm. How do you know if you have mail at home? "I check the mailbox." she said. "Well, then, I suppose you will have to check here at the office." I tell her. All this is being said while her youngest child, the rock thrower is screeching that she wants a popsicle. I have since found out that said child is a spitter, too. This child is 6 years old and displays behaviour that would earn my child a good smack across the bottom....for starters.

She tells the child that she "ain't got no money" and not to "go in that store"; so, of course both children go in and open the door to the ice cream freezer to gaze upon the contents. She has told them not to open the freezer door and I find myself wishing that she would stop suggesting what not to do, since her offspring are intent on doing whatever she tells them not to do. The little spitter is screeching again that she wants a popsicle and once again is told that she "ain't got no money". The child , all red faced with anger, looks at me and demands that I give her mother some money! I have been known to give a child a popsicle or a piece of candy on more than one occasion, but I do not reward rude behaviour and tell the child "no". Simply no, as I have reached an age where I do not feel the need to explain my thoughts or actions. She then demands that I give her a popsicle! She is once again told no. I bite my tongue to keep from asking this woman where her parenting skills are. Throughout this exchange she is looking at me expectantly, as though she hopes I will give the child what she wants. I guess this is a learned behaviour that has been re-enforced by those she encounters. It won't be happening here.

The county fair is going on and I was hoping for a peaceful day at the pool. Not happening. One gentleman was in the pool with his little dog in his arms. When I told him the dog was not allowed in the pool area I earned myself the dirtiest of looks. I think of my pets as family, too, but wouldn't try to take them to a public pool. The reasons are obvious and I am amazed daily by people and what they expect to be able to do.

Positive thoughts.....positive thoughts.....The only positive thought I can seem to come up with involves locking the door!

I think I would have been tempted to say "I don't reward rude children. Not my children, not my grandchildren, and certainly not anyone else's children." I wonder if that would have shocked them into silence?

I love pets too and I work in a hotel and occasionally (often) I get the opportunity (have to) tell a guest their dog is not allowed in the breakfast area. I can sympathize with you about the dirty look.